Doritan
Doritan is a mineral rich mining world found within the Eressa Sector of the Segmentum Pacificus pledged to the Empire of Mars and officially follows the Machine Cult. The planet can easily be considered a death world, for the extreme cold and brutal climate make surviving upon Doritan nigh-impossible without highly advanced technology, yet it was deemed worth the cost of colonization due to the high quality and quantity of ore veins discovered deep within the crust. Though officially designated a mining world, Doritan is host to numerous Mechanicum and local industries and the preliminary stages for creating a Forge World are under way. Doritan was colonized during the Macharian Crusade in 371.M41, for, despite the lack of any life on the planet and it's initial death world designation, the ore discovered upon the planet was determined to be necessary to feed the eternal hunger of the Imperial war machine. However, the colony was lost during the subsequent Macharian Heresy, falling into Civil War with the various Cavern-Barons fighting over control of the planet. Doritan later fell to xenos during a Greenskin invasion of the planet. It wasn't until Explorator Fleet VX-7743.II arrived in 649.M41 did the inhabitants of Doritan finally know freedom from xenos oppression. The planet is now host to an interesting culture which combines the Machine Cult, Inter-Clan hostilities, and the feudalistic hierarchy of the Mechanicum. This culture along with the extremely harsh environment and pocket-like nature of the settlement upon the planet has developed a civilization possibly akin to the beginning stages of the Forge Worlds which were plunged into the Old Night where highly advanced baronies and clan-holdings vie for dominance with their small but technologically advanced armies History Discovery & Colonization Doritan is located within the Grimmax System of the Eressa Sector within the Segmentum Pacificus. The system was discovered during the Macharian Crusade and after the initial probes into the system was deemed of little importance by Rogue Trader Grimmax due to barren Death World bearing no strategic nor economic gain to him or the Imperium. However, this was until one of his entourage, a Tech-priest, explained to the Rogue Trader that the planetary data gathered by himself and his team suggested that the solitary planet might have precious ores within it's frozen crust. Leading the scouting mission, this unknown Tech-Priest discovered ancient ruins of unknown origin littered across the planet. But, of even greater significance to Grimmax and the wider Imperium, the mission discovered the planet was extremely rich in ceramite, silver, and various other ores that have a variety of uses within the Imperium. This discovery prompted an immediate colonization effort of the planet by the Imperium, sending a mixture of skilled laborers, architects, arbites, troops, and millions of convict laborers. Pre-Macharian Heresy The planet of Doritan is a frozen world of brutally harsh cold, blizzards, and raging thunderstorms. To try and live in conventional human towns or even cities is impossible due to the freezing temperatures of the planet, even with the advanced technology of the Imperium today. Yet, to leave the planet's mineral wealth unexploited was deemed unacceptable and so the Mechanicum ingeniously dug out vast chunks of mountains to erect mining cities in the barren planet itself. However, despite being shielded from the majority of the elements, these cities required numerous reactors to support their extensive life support systems, utilizing a mixture of power sources ranging from plasma reactors to promethium furnaces. These cities would eventually take on the moniker of strongholds, for they were the only places upon the planet that humanity could have any hope of surviving within during the long cold winters of Doritan. Initially, the planet was a penal mining colony with millions of prisoners indentured into a hard life of physical labor; be it mining, building, refining, feeding the furnaces, or digging for decades until death freed them from their "service". Such industry would have choked the strongholds with toxic fumes, so the Mechanicum needed to build and maintain complicated ventilation systems that released the fumes without allowing the cold to enter the strongholds. This ventilation system allowed for the vast and growing strongholds to build industrial zones, numerous furnaces and generators, refineries, manufactories, and others industrial buildings within the prison-mining complexes without poisoning the air. This allowed for each stronghold to develop a strong industrial base in which each "mine" began to increasingly send off weapons and goods more than raw resources. Though preserving the strongholds from the toxic fumes and cold and allowing rapid industrial growth, the ventilation systems would prove to be the downfall of many a stronghold later in the planet's history. These strongholds were not simply cities, but vast prison complexes and military styles barracks for the guards and the Imperial Guard garrison. Whilst under Imperial rule, these strongholds were well supplied, heavily garrisoned, and run by Wardens who ruled as planetary governor would rule their world. Their charge was to maintain the peace and meet the high tithes of mineral resources to the High Warden, the planetary governor, who would then pay the planet's tithe to the Departmento Munitorum. Each warden answered to the High Warden directly, the High Warden's word being unto law upon the planet and each warden being law within his/her own stronghold. This developed a highly stratified and militaristic society upon Doritan, the guards and Astra Militarum jockeying for dominance within each stronghold's politics whilst the prisoners worked ceaselessly within the mines, foundries, furnaces, and generators. The Imperial Commander within each stronghold commanded the PDF and Imperial Guard Regiment assigned the to stronghold with iron fists, running drills, parading down corridors, and making their might known to both prisoners and their guards, known as castellans. The prison guards on the other hand were divided between those who believed in their mission as wardens and others who were far less disciplined, brutish, and corrupt, being affiliated with prison gangs and cartels. Fights often broke out between the Guardsmen and Castellans, drunken brawls, bouts over honor, and many others were common, creating an animosity between the two factions, yet, outright hostilities never took place, though unsolved and mysterious murders were common within the strongholds. The sole spaceport upon the planet being the de-facto capital of the penal mining world was run by the High Warden. Each stronghold may have been self-sufficient in terms of fuel and mineral resources, but they lacked food and goods that required animal or plant based resources, making each stronghold beholden to the High Warden who ruled from the spaceport of Korhold and had a monopoly on such goods, in the early colonial stages at least. However, it turned out that the initial Mechanicum scans of the planet being barren were wrong and an expedition into the northern mountain range discovered a highly resilient strain of moss and mushrooms growing within caves despite being exposed to the harsh cold of the planet. This strain of moss and mushroom seemed to defy the laws of nature until Imperial scientists discovered that the plants were made up of an edible plasma that did not freeze. The discovery of these plants allowed for each stronghold to cultivate mushroom and moss farms, allowing for them to produce various foodstuffs and alcohol from such contents as well as bring Grox within each holding and feed them these plants to produce meat, milk, and leather. It appeared that Doritan would develop into a very lucrative and wealthy planet. The planet's mineral wealth alone would have made the rulers of Doritan wealthy, yet, alongside the growing manufacturing capabilities along with its exponentially growing population, Doritan was expected to turn into a valuable Hive World within a few centuries. Yet, the tragedy of the Macharian Heresy would see to it that Doritan would never be able to rise to such heights in the foreseeable future, Macharian Heresy & Greenskin Invasion With the outbreak of the Macharian Heresy, Doritan's bright future shattered. The Imperial hold over the Eressa Sector was lost over-night and the Imperial armies turned against one another for control of the territories that lord Macharius conquered. Initially, Doritan held true to it's loyalty to the Imperium, but as trade came to a stand still and dissenting voices across the planet began demanding either secession, loyalty, or off world conquest, tensions began to rise quickly. Some Imperial Commanders urged the declaration of martial law whereas others plotted to seize control of their stronghold and conquer the planet for themselves. War quickly broke out, between the various factions within the strongholds and between the strongholds themselves. Prison gangs, penal revolutionaries, loyalist and traitor guard elements, and the loyal and traitor castellans all fought for dominance within each stronghold, laying waste to much of the advance technology and manufactories that resided within. Factories burned, generators overheated and exploded, furnaces left abandoned, and many life support system failed. Entire strongholds were lost due to irreparable damage to either the population or life support systems. Chaos reigned for over a decade until each stronghold had become dominated by one faction or another. The planet remained divided for years, petty wars being waged between the strongholds during the short summers of Doritan. Each stronghold became a city-state, being ruled by a military dictatorship, crude form of gang-run democracy, or retained the castellan rule of old. However, such a state did not last long, for the Greenskins discovered the planet and launched an invasion once learning of the mineral wealth and potential slaves upon the world. Initially, the strongholds held out, their militarized and fortified nature combined with the brutally harsh environment of the planet made the frontal assaults of the Orks extremely costly in terms of resources and greenskin lives. Some strongholds did fall due to overwhelming Ork strength or the weakened defenses that were battered by the Civil Wars. The few strongholds held by the gangs were lost, lacking the proper military to fend off the greenskins and easily enslaved by their new masters. However, the dictatorships and castellan held strongholds faired better. Their better trained and better armed forces being discipline and equipped to fend off the Orks despite their weakened state. The fact that these humans were holding off against their might angered the minor Greenskin Warboss who was named Prog the "Mad". Prog was a tall, powerful, and fearsome Greenskin Nob who was a brutish but deadly warrior who wielded a mighty ramshackled thunder hammer he tore off an Astartes Captain's body after savagely biting the marine's head off. Though not as mighty as greater Greenskin Warlords like Gazghkull Thraka, he was still a fearsome and terrible enemy to face. Luckily for the Imperium, Prog lacked a capable strategic mind and relied entirely on his fighting ability and the fear he instilled in his warband. Prog the Mad was nicknamed the Mad not because he was insane, but because during a campaign Prog simply did not formulate a plan, he simply attacked. Orks flocked to him because he appeared to be a true and proper Greenskin. Though, unfortunately for many, this Ork was brutal but lacked any cunning. Prog drove his warband forward by sheer force of his will into pyrrhic victory after pyrrhic victory because Prog refused to utilize any strategy of flanking or advanced maneuvers that he deemed un-Orkish. The only proper way to fight, according to Prog, was head on. Orks both feared and admired the Mad Warboss, for he strode into battle roaring like a prophet of Gork and Mork wielding his mighty hammer smashing aside all that stood in his way, but where the warboss wasn't; Orks died in droves at the hands of entrenched or elite enemies that should not have been taken head on. Yet, Orks still flocked to this Mad Warboss because of the "good scraps" he got them into and the victories he was attaining. However, with mountains of Greenskin dead forming at the gates of the remaining strongholds, the minor Nobs and minor warbosses of the Waaagh began grumbling and some began to challenge Prog for command of the Waaagh because they simply believed they had a better chance at killing Prog than taking the strongholds. Unluckily for these challengers, Prog was a far better warrior than tactician and he easily slaughtered all those who defied him, however he understood that he could not win this war without outside help. Forced by the growing dissent of his Waaagh, the warboss called upon the aid of a Greenskin Freebooter fleet which was operating nearby the system. Commanded by the Greenskin Freebooter Admiral Zigoth Iron Gob, this fleet was the only other Ork force near the Grimmax System. Zigoth was an infamous Ork in the region, hated by many Greenskins who envied his wealth but saw him as a un-Orkish coward. Zigoth's Freebooters, the 'Iron Gobs', maintain a high number of Kommandos and Flash Gitz who like to ambush and flank enemies rather than fight head on like "propa" Greenskins. Yet, the Greenskin Warboss needed this un-Orkish Ork to aid him in taking the seemingly impenetrable strongholds before his Waaagh died from either the cold or the guns of the humans. Zigoth, being the cunning Ork he was, noticed a weakness in the strongholds that none of the Ork Warbosses of the Waaagh had, the ventilation shafts. It was the vast and complex ventilation shafts that ended up being the downfall of each stronghold as Ork Kommandos and Flash Gitz broke in and wrecked havoc upon the defenders as the green wave overran the confused defenders. Only a handful of strongholds could resist and most were located in the planet's most hostile regions in the southwest and northern mountains because word reached them of how the Orks overcame the humans of other strongholds. As Prog led his warband to conquer more Strongholds, he left behind Nobs of his bodyguard to run the cities he conquered and put the slaves to work. However, as Orks began settling within the conquered and abandoned strongholds, enslaving the humans, and building up their newly claimed homes, they began forming break away Warbands and clans. Dozens of rival warbosses rose up across Doritan that refused to follow the Mad Warboss any longer, taking their mobs and warbands and claiming lost or recently conquered strongholds for themselves. The Freebooter Zigoth refused to engage in the inter-warband warfare that raged across the surface of Doritan nor aid any further in the subjugation of the remaining free human population. Prog did not and could not pay the Admiral what he was owed and so Zigoth decided to take as many slaves, weapons, vehicles, and teef as possible before leaving Doritan to the rampaging warbands of what remained of Prog's Waaagh. As a final act of revenge for not being paid his due, Zigoth bombarded the Mad Warbosses' position from low atmosphere, killing Prog and leaving the remaining Orks of Doritan to fight for dominance. Greenskin Occupation During the Greenskin occupation and three centuries of isolation from the Imperium, there were 3 human strongholds that held out against the initial Greenskin invasion and subsequent aid of the Iron Gobs Freebooters. The remainder were overrun by Orks who waged eternal war with one another and the remaining humans. Orks were primarily divided by stronghold, similar to the humans due to the climate of Doritan. Even Orks could not survive during the frigid nights of Doritan's long and freezing winters. This left the fighting to primarily take place during the brief spring and summer seasons of Doritan where Ork warbands rampaged across the planet's surface to battle one another in open battlefields or lay siege to rival strongholds. The remaining human strongholds were an after thought to the Orks, who preferred the brutish close combat that rival warbands would engage in. The humans of Doritan utilized hit and run tactics to fight against Greenskins during raids in Ork territory or fending off raiding parties or even invasions from Greenskin strongholds. They would assail the Orks with long ranged rifles or ambushing them via the tunnel and cave networks they had built. Even though they were outmatched pound for pound by the Orks, the Doritan warriors did not falter when it came to close combat, utilizing their ice axes and carving knives to fight in brutal melee. Any good Doritanian loved a good fight that was up close and personal but they weren't foolish enough to engage Orks in such a manner often. Preferring rapid attacks and withdrawals on foot with long range support from mortars and snipers, the Doritanians became adept skirmishers in mountainous terrain and learned to read the weather patterns as one would read a newspaper. Fighting was an natural part of Doritanian life, both in war and in civilian life. Street brawls, fighting pits, and other forms of civilian fighting were common and allowed, the Clans seeing such culture being necessary to keep their people strong and ready for war. In fact, such fighting became a major source of entertainment for the populace of Doritan. However, whilst isolated from the wider Imperium, the Doritanians started to come up with a culture unique to their planet. From the outside, they appeared to be reverting to a semi-savage state wherein they had some of the trappings of civilization but were a warlike and tribal people who did not understand the technology they wielded. Civilians and soldiers alike became heavy built, covered themselves in blue and black tattoos, maintained long braided hairstyles and unkempt facial hair. Their clothes was an amalgamation of leather and fur rather than the fine linens, silks, or cloth of other more "civilized" human nations. Yet, the Doritanians lived lives of hardship and their clothes served the purpose of being sturdy, warm, and easy to produce. Fur coats, hats, and kilts along with leather breeches, boots, jerkins, gloves, and belts were, and still are, the most common clothing articles of the Doritan people, for both men and women. Occassionaly, human armies would also venture out during this campaigning season. Sometimes a vast army would venture forth to reclaim a long lost cavern from the Greenskins, other times an elite raiding party would break into and steal ancient technology from xenos held territory, or sometimes soldiers would hunt down and kill Ork bands for sport. Val-Korhitan For decades after the initial Ork invasion of Doritan, 3 suriving cavern-mines held out against the Greenskins. Val-Korhitan prospered under Joseph Mikhialov but the other two cavern-mines of Val-Moskrat and Val-Stasgrad fell into disrepair and slowly but surely were being ground down by the Ork invasions and internal struggles. Finally, in 473.M41, Val-Moskrat fell to Greenskin assault, the Orks using a gargant to smash through the decaying walls of the cavern. Millions of humans were slaughtered in the assault and when news reach Val-Stasgrad, a civil war erupted between religious fanatics, the cavern-leadership, and forces of a military coup. Hundreds of thousands of people fled Val-Stasgrad to Val-Korhitan where Joseph Mikhialov welcomed them with open arms. When news once again reached Val-Stasgrad about the kindness of Mikhialov, droves of civilians poured forth from the cavern in a frenzy to seek safe haven in their neighbor's holding whilst the various factions fought for control over the ruined cavern. However, the Greenskin were already on the march and caught many of the refugees on the road. A slaughter ensued when the Ork horde rampaged across the frost covered planes of the Krush Wastes. Yet, before the Orks could butcher all the refugees, the army of Val-Korhitan led by Joseph Mikhialov himself marched engaged the forward elements of the horde. Once he had heard of the Stasgradian people's plight, Mikhialov assembled his army immediately and marched a day and night to defend the desperate refugees. What started off as a skirmish between the advanced parties of the Ork horde and the Val-Korhitan army turned into a fully fledged battle. For 2 days the two forces were in a deadlock, the forces of Val-Korhitan holding to line so that the exhausted and weak refugees of Stasgrad could find safety within the walls of Korhitan. Across 20 miles of open planes and mountain ranges, the Greenskins and human fought a ferocious battle never seen before in the history of Doritan. 120,000 humans, the majority of Mikhialov's army, fought against a horde of some 300,000 Orks under the banner of a newly risen Warboss known as Uthroq Black-Fist. The surprise of the human army initially drove the Orks back, but once the horde realized they had a real fight on their hands, they went into a frenzy of bloodlust. An Ork spearhead assault on the right flank pushed the human line back, rolling the army onto itself and threatening to encircle the humans. Luckily, Mikhialov held the few tanks in his command in reserve and counter-attacked the Orks and stabilized the line. Once word reached Mikhialov that the last refugees were within his city, he ordered a fighting retreat and led the rearguard of his army against the Orks. 3 days and 13 hours into the battle, 49,000 humans lay dead across the battlefield whilst about 100,000 Ork carcasses littered the fields. Mikhialov's army had finally reached the walls of Val-Korhitan when the Ork Warboss Uthroq Black-Fist butchered his way through the rearguard of the army with his nobs and engaged the elite bodyguard of the General. In a duel, the two clashed, Mikhialov's bionic enhancements and skill as a swordsmen allowing him to go toe-to-toe with the massive Ork. The General was faster, using his smaller size and quick footwork to outmanuever the Ork, slashing and stabbing with his power sword at the Ork's exposed flesh inbetween the scavenged armor plate whilst dodging the wild swings of the Orks gigantic two-handed chainaxe. It seemed as though the General would slay the Warboss with ease until a stray bullet clipped Mikhialov, sending him reeling backwards clasping at his wounded sword arm's shoulder. The Warboss would follow up with a backhanded swipe, shattering the General's ribs and sending his sword flying from his grip. Lying helplessly wounded upon the floor, General Mikhialov watched in tremendous pain as the Warboss slowly walked up to him with a savage grin which showed his oversized fangs. Pulling his laspistol from its hoslter, the General fruitlessly fired at the massive Ork which only seared his thick battle plate and the xenos let loose a deep grumble which Mikhialov realized was the xenos' laugh. The Ork looked down at the mortally wounded General and roared as he raised his chainaxe to brutally execute the human below him when a crackling power blade burst through its belly and showered the General in crimson xenos blood as the Warboss let his chainaxe drop to his side as he grasped at the blade lodged into his body. The captain of Mikhialov's bodyguard, Vladimir Krustov, had rushed to the aid of his General after decapitating a Nob that stood in his way to defend his lord. Unfortunately for the captain, he missed the Ork's spine and Uthroq spun around, snatched him up with his bare hands crushing his collarbone and shoulders and bit the bodyguard's head off in a rage. The Warboss then found himself being swarmed by troopers and bodyguards alike, bayonets fixed and powerswords crackling. Dozens of men died in a desperate attempt to defend their commander, whilst the General was taken to safety within the walls of Val-Korhitan. Uthroq Black-Fist died after the Mikhialov's son, Joseph II, plunged his sabre into the Ork's throat and through the back of its skull, severing it's spinal cord for its head. With the death of the Warboss, the Ork horde fell into shambles and was shattered. By the end of the battle on the fourth day, 53,000 humans lay dead with 30,000 wounded whilst 138,000 Orks lay dead and an unknown number were wounded. This battle would be the last for the beloved Joseph Mikhialov who would die a week later from his wounds. However, before he died, the General would name his son as his heir and so beloved was the General that none dared to challenge his final decree even after his death. A hero's parade was performed by the veterans of the Battle of the Krush Wastes in full military uniform as they marched to the depths of the Cavern to bury their General in what is now known as the Mikhialov Mausoleum. The remnants of the body of Captain Vladimir Krustov was laid to rest next to his commander to honor his heroic sacrifice for the General whilst the skull of the dead Uthroq Black-Fist was placed at the feet of the General's sarcophagus. Following the Battle of the Krush Wastes, Val-Korhitan was the sole surviving human stronghold upon Doritan and it was a time of prosperity for the people of the now Hive-City. Joseph II Mikhialov proved to be a brilliant ruler and like his father was wise, pragmatic, and heavy handed only when necessary. He understood how to deal in politics, how to wage war against the Greenskins, and how to keep the economy booming throughout his reign. Unfortunately, 20 years into his reign, Joseph II died in a freak accident during a routine inspection of a plasma generator and his son was not half the man he was. For generations, the Mikhialov dynasty road upon the legacy of its great heroes but those that followed Joseph the Great and Joseph II were neither wise nor adept. If it was not for the skilled advisers from the Guilds and Lesser Clans, the last hold out of humanity upon Doritan would have fallen into ruin like all others on the planet. The Church of Zethri During these times of struggle, many "prophets" and doom-sayers sprung up. Wherever these men and women walked, disruption and rebellion followed with heavy handed retribution not too far behind from Murads and Khurgan. However, without a state religion to enforce and counter these troublemakers, the lords of Val-Korhitan lacked the proper tools to fight these religious and popular uprisings. They could suppress them, but they could not pull out the roots of these pestering weeds and so more and more sprang up throughout the city. Most of the religions that sprung up were of doom and divine retribution for the sins of the Mikhialov Dynasty but there was one small but quickly growing religion known as Zethrianism which preached of a savior coming to liberate humanity from its torment. After close inspection, the advisers of the Khurgan suggested to their liege lord that such a religion could work in their favor to fend off against the more radical religious elements sprouting amongst the populace. Luckily, Khurgan Alexander Mikhialov was a smart man and a scholar who understood the importance of religion to provide hope to the masses. Alexander agreed with his advisers and made Zethrianism the State Religion and formed the Official Church of Zethri in the year 598.M41. Thereafter he was known as Alexander the Pious and led the armies of Val-Korhitan on a crusade to purge the Greenskins from Doritan. Unfortunately for Alexander, he died the very next year of frostbite whilst besieging the Ork-held Val-Moskrat. His army suffered a crushing defeat against two Ork warbands; 70,000 troops were slaughtered only killing 30,000 Orks. The Cavern-Hive of Val-Korhitan barely survived the following siege against the Greenskins due to the fanatic defense that the religious militia put up alongside the remainder of the Mikhialov army. The Church of Zethri was one of hope whilst most others preached of doom. Zethrianism taught that their was a God of Humanity who battled in the Heavens against the Gods of the various xenos in an eternal war to defend his children. It was believed that once he cast down the Green Titan known as Prog, the Zethri's God of Orks, he would send his prophet down to them in a beam of golden light backed by an army of warriors clad in crimson robes to purify Doritan of its greenskin filth. These Crimson warriors are his holy servants, battling alongside him in the heavens until Prog is cast down and defeated, then they would march to Doritan's aid to free them of Greenskin occupation. This belief stemmed from a collection of ancient tomes discovered during an expedition into ancient ruins discovered at the base of the mountain Voltag. Zethrianism attracted the vast majority of the populace who sought hope and a cause to rally behind. Cathedrals and churches were raised throughout the hive and the priesthood gained tremendous influence in the politics of the cavern. All other religions and unorthodox views would be savagely oppressed and within 20 years, by the year 618.M41, the High Bishop of the Zethri Church held equal amounts of influence as the Khurgan himself. Zethri & the Eagle The Prophet Arrives ....... For almost 300 years, the people of Doritan were slaves to the Greenskins, suffering under their cruel masters who found their suffering and screams of torment amusing. It was the founding of a religious cult based on the ancient texts of an ancient human civilization that once resided on the planet that united the peoples of Doritan and sparked a series of uprisings. Unfortunately for the humans, all 11 of their uprisings were brutally suppressed by the Greenskins. The 12th and final uprising occurred in 647.M41, led by High Priest Gailmar. Initially, the humans pushed the Greenskins back but, just like every other uprising, the humans were pushed back on all sides of the front until they were surrounded in the ancient ruins under the 'holy' mountain of Korhitan. It would have been a slaughter if not for the timely intervention of Explorator Fleet VX-7743.II which arrived in system and unleashed it's ground forces in a devastating invasion to cleanse the world of greenskin filth. After the liberation of Doritan in 651.M41, the people of Doritan pledged fealty to the Empire of Mars and Archmagos Erridan Kraus their defacto liege lord. They now serve a Mining World for the Imperium of Man, a majority of it's resources being shipped to Forge Ship X-3915 and sending men to serve within the Imperial Guard. The people have been gifted with numerous technologies to make their lives easier and make them more productive workers. Archmagos Erridan Kraus intends to turn Doritan into his personal fief and with the popular support of the people, it seems likely. Though, there are many of the priesthood of the old faith that grumble, seeing the Techpriest as a usurper and a false prophet. Yet, they cannot deny that without Kraus, their planet would still be under Greenskin rule and they would not be able to enjoy the freedom to serve as the ruling body of Doritan as they do now in Kraus' stead. Doritan is now host to numerous newly erected Mechanicum mines, a significant garrison of battle-servitors, and is seeing many of the former slave camps renovated into housing blocks and industrial facilities. The planet is also host to a large outpost which is officially designated as a garrison for the planet but, in actuality, is a location to study the ancient ruins of the planet and unlock the secrets locked within the mysterious vaults under Korhitan which only the Priesthood of Doritan and Kraus himself know of. ...... While under the oppression of their Greenskin overlords, a rising religious movement spread across the human inhabitants of the planet which would begin uniting the disparate human slave camps under an unofficial form of theocratic government. A belief in a protector god of mankind existed and watched over his servants in despair upon Doritan, seeing the tragedy of his children being tormented by such base and repulsive creatures. They believed this god to hate all xenos and saw his faithful as the most perfect of children, citing ancient texts discovered in long lost ruins found buried at the base of the planet's highest mountain, Korhitan. The people of Doritan believed their god would send forth a savior from the heavens to free them from the oppression of their barbaric enslavers, clad in the crimson red of human blood as a symbol of humanity's suffering at the hands of xenos. Most of the religious leaders advised patience, fearful of what reprecussions might ensue should the Greenskins realize the ...... It was during the 12th uprising in the year 647.M41, the largest and most widespread of all rebellions occurred. Initially, the Orks were driven back and the human freedom fighters began to free thousands of other humans utilizing their mining tools and ancient weapon stores discovered in the ancient ruins of a destroyed city. However, with great glee, the Orks began pushing back, their brute strength, resilience, and numbers overwhelming the poorly organized, malnourished, and untrained humans. Preparing to make a final stand within the ruins of the ancient ruins that served as their makeshift capital, great beams of immense destructive capability rained down upon the Greenskin hordes that surrounded the human rebels. This broke the Orks' organization, terrified and confused by the furious assault they suffered by some unknown enemy. In awe, both humans and orks peered up at the sky as the clouds parted and hundreds of troop transporters, fighters, and bulk transporters made their way down to the surface. In a tide of crimson red and ebony black, the Skitarii, Battle-Automata, and the rest of the Explorator Fleet VX-7743.II's ground forces were unleashed. ...... Planetary Data * Mass: 6.29 x 922 kg * Diameter: 6497 km * Mean Density: 7801 kg/m3 * Escape Velocity: 6000 m/sec * Mean distance from the Sun: 1.883 AU * Rotation Period: 2.019 Solar Days * Revolution Period: 1,147 Solar Days * Obliquity: 11o * Orbit (Inclination Degree): 3.84o * Orbit Eccentricity: 1.006o * Max Surface Temperature: 268o K * Minimum Surface Temperature: 142o K * Visual Geometric Albedo: 1.2 * Highest Point on Surface: Mt. Korhitan * Atmospheric Components: 57% Carbon Dioxide, 18% Oxygen, 11% Nitrogen, 9% Water Vapor, 3.1% Methane, 1.9% Argon Geography Map Key Places of Note * Temple of Voltag * Mount Korhitan * Mount Voltag * Pre-Forge Milvora (next to Voltag) * Ruins of Voltag * Space Port Norvos * Val-Korhitan * Val-Moskrat * Val-Stasgrad Notable Events * Colonization * Civil War * Greenskin Invasion * Fall of Val-Moskrat * Fall of Val-Stasgrad * Battle of the Krush Wastes * Founding of the Church of Zethri * Crusade of Cleansing * Slaughter of Moskrat * Siege of Val-Korhitan * Mechanicum's Arrival Culture Var-Korhitan & the Mikhialov Clan The Cavern-Hive of Var-Korhitan is the only Hive City that survived the Macharian Heresy and Greenskin invasion. Built into the very roots of the Great Mountain of Korhitan, Var-Korhitan is a nigh-impregnable fortress-city, which was initially founded as a penal mine, housing millions of human which tunnels deep under the mountain. Unlike the hives of the Imperium which are built upon the crusts of the planets they are found on, Var-Korhitan, just like all the other Cavern-Mines (as they were originally called) built during the initial colonization of the planet, is built into the very heart of the mountain, for this was the only way the engineers of the initial colonization effort could erect habitable conditions for the human inhabitants of the planet. The Cavern-Hive was initially a massive mine, digging deep into the earth, worked by millions of penal slaves brought from off world to serve a lifetime in the dark cold mines of Doritan. Initially called a Cavern-Mine by the colonizers, it was a very profitable mine and along with the other cavern-mines, that were erected throughout the planet, they made Doritan a very profitable investment for the Imperium during the Macharian Crusade. However, with the coming of the Macharian Heresy and the Greenskin invasion, every Cavern-Mine fell to either inter-human warfare or Greenskin invasion. The only reason the Cavern-Mine of Var-Korhitan survived the onslaught of civil war and xenos assault was the Imperial Guard Colonel Joseph Mikhialov who declared martial law, slaughtered the wardens, and freed the slaves whilst raising thousands of militia to defend their home. Joseph Mikhialov was a skilled tactician and renowned as an officer who could raise highly effective infantry regiments but this alone was not the reason the Cavern-Mine did not fall to the Greenskin onslaught. Var-Korhitan was the northern-most mine erected upon Doritan and was subject to the planet's most fearsome storms and most devastating blizzards. Many Greenskin armies would be vanquished long before they could besiege the mine's walls and those that did make it were slaughtered by the skilled defense of the human defenders. Joseph was idolized as a hero, for despite his ruthless suppression of rebellion, the cavern thrived. His calculating mind increased the industrial production of mine's few manufactories, made the usage of raw resources more efficient, developed a new agriculture system to increase fungal growth and, therefore, grox herd sizes, and allowed for the expansion of the mine's tunnels deeper into the planet to grant more room for the growing population due to the intake of refugees and booming birthrates. After 80 years ruling over the Cavern, Joseph died, but before his expiration he named his son as his heir and established the dynastic monarchy which has survived until the present. For centuries the descendants of Joseph Mikhialov served as the dynastic rulers of the Cavern-Hive, suppressing rebellions, fending off Greenskin, and ensuring the human population of Doritan would not be snuffed out. Initially, the Cavern was thriving and was able to extend it's reach to other mines across the planet via expeditions, military occupation, and colonization. However, as the years passed on and the flaws of monarchy began to show; inept, cruel, and/or weak Khurgans (Doritanian word that roughly translates to "King" in low Gothic") began to lead the last stronghold of humanity upon Doritan into an uncontrollable downward spiral. Expeditions were lost, mining facilities within and without the now Cavern-Hive fell into disrepair, popular rebellions and military coups erupted that were barely suppressed, whilst famine and disease spread throughout the population. After 300 years of rule, the Mikhialov dynasty looked as if it would finally fall when a massive Greenskin Waaagh, assembled by the Warboss Brukal Longfang, besieged the Cavern-Hive against the weak garrison which barely suppressed a military coup and lost the majority of its skilled officers. Luckily for both the dynasty and the human population of Doritan, Kraus and Explorator Fleet VX-7743.II launched an overwhelming assault upon the Greenskin horde which was about to overrun the defenders. Now, Var-Korhitan serves as the planet's capital city and the Khurgan acts as the de-facto Planetary Governor. With the support of the Mechanicum, Joseph V Mikhialov has raised fresh armies, rekindled the fires of silent manufactories, expanded the mines of Var-Korhitan once again and is producing a massive surplus of minerals and industrial goods for the first time in over 150 years. The forces of the Mechanicum, alongside the now named Doritan Mountaineer Regiments, now wage a campaign of extermination against the greenskins across the planet, purging them from cavern after cavern and hunting their forces down in the mountains, valleys, and canyons of the planet. The Mechanicum is also now laying the groundwork for the creation of numerous forges throughout the planet, though the process will take centuries to complete and in the meantime some elements are enhancing the already existing industrial centers, agriculture, and mining facilities of the planet. Now, Var-Korhitan is once again the center of a thriving human held planet and is ruling over a growing number of colonial efforts across the various cavern-mines of Doritan. The Cavern-Hive of Var-Korhitan is now host to the technologically advanced weapons, defenses, and troops of the Mechanicum. Void Shield Generators, huge weapons batteries, thick ceramite-reinforced rockrete walls, and a skitarii-esc PDF now defend the city from invasion whilst the exponential growth of the population, industry, and mineral extraction is fueled by the off-world technology and skill of the Mechanicum. This did come at a cost to the people of Doritan, for Joseph V Mikhialov holds little power now and is essentially a puppet Kraus is using to subjugate the planet's population to his will. The Mechanicum holds the real power and the growing flock of the Cult Mechanicus is continuously cementing the power of Kraus and the Empire of Mars over the local traditions and culture. Though, it seems a unique mix of the barbaric, violent culture of Doritan and the Mechanicum is emerging which is most easily seen in the Doritan Mountaineer Regiments whose culture seems to harken back to some Imperial Army Regiments raised long ago in the Great Crusade. Baronies & Clans The population of Doritan is ruled over by the various clans of each stronghold. Whilst the Great Clan of Mikhialov once ruled the Cavern-Hive as monarchs and now the planet as planetary governors, the Cavern-Hives were divided into levels known as Caverns which were further divided into Baronies. Baronies are sub-sections of each cavern which is ruled over by a lesser clan, led by the Clan-Barons or Murads. These lesser clans developed from the officer corps of the Imperial Guard Regiments of the first colonial effort and now rule as noble vassals to the Khurgan. They compete with one another in politics, military jockeying, and, not uncommonly, assassination. They squabble over resources, territory, and taxes. Internal strife is common and skirmishes between various clan forces not uncommon either, however, full blown warfare between clans is strictly prohibited by the Khurgan. It is in the best interest of all parties for the peace to be maintained or else full blown civil war might lay low the last stronghold of Doritan. The PDF is made up of the peasant population residing within the Cavern-Hive and are mostly infantry and light infantry. Similar to other feudal systems of the Imperium, each lesser clan must raise a certain number of its peasants to serve within the PDF and Imperial Guard along with a certain number of it's noble sons and daughters as officers. From these clan armies, the local stronghold's PDF is formed and Imperial Guard tithe paid. All manner of regiments are raised from Doritan but the most numerous are its infantry regiments. Collectively known as the Doritan Mountaineers, they are renowned as sharpshooters and for the utilization of extensive bionic enhancements. The lesser clans serve as the bulk of the PDF and Astra Militarum line officers leading the squads, maniples, and cohorts of each regiment. The Mikhialov Dynasty itself serves as the commanding officers of each regiment and are known as a "Boris" or "Borisians" which translates to Colonel in Low Gothic. The dynasty has branched out far and wide and from the outer branches of the dynasty do the planet's Grenadiers come from. The Grenadiers are known as Kissars they are the elite troopers of the planet. These troopers are sent to fight for the Imperial Guard as elite troops or act as the Great Clan's personal bodyguards and household retinues. Guilds Guilds are the economic entities that emerged from the prison gangs of Doritan's early origins. Guilds are artisan and trading organizations, sponsoring the peasants that show artisanal skills or the wealth to buy into the organization. These organizations are the way that the skilled laborers and wealthy non-clansmen protect their rights from the great and lesser clans. Before the Mechanicum arrived upon Doritan, it was the guilds that produced the mechanics and engineers that repaired and maintained the machines of the Cavern-Hive. They also produced the skilled artisans that ornamented the halls of the guild, the clans, and livery of the armies. Guilds also protected specific skilled labor jobs from falling into the hands of rival clans, acting as middle men by having a monopoly on a specific skill by decree of the Khurgan. Guilds helped prevent outright warfare between clans by providing their services to the clans neutrally but at a high price. This prevented open hostilities between clans over the running of power generators, farms, mines, etc because this was controlled by the guilds who then sold their services and goods to the clans. The guilds control every aspect of the Cavern-Hive's industry and there is a guild for every type of industry; a farming guild, a mechanic guild, generator guild, refinery guild, mining guild, etc. Each guild runs an industry within the holding to their own standards only having to pay tithes to the Khurgan who they all owed direct fealty. With the coming of the Mechanicum, the guilds have been a point of constant tension. Refusing to give up their monopoly on the economy, the guilds will not hand over their rights to the Mechanicum, rather, they take on the tech-priests as advisers rather than giving them control of the industry. This greatly insults the tech-priesthood of Stygies VIII but by order of Erridan Kraus they must accept this reality. Kraus plans to slowly but surely integrate the guilds into the Mechanicum, utilizing the feudal structures of the Martian Empire to have their loyalties tied to Kraus rather than the Khurgans. Many guilds, mostly of the production, refining, and generator nature, are beginning to take on the trappings of the Tech-Priests and many are becoming initiated into the Cult of the Omnissiah. However, there are many more that resist, some very vocally, against the Tech-Priests and their foreign ways. The majority of these resistant guilds are the less skilled nature and are tied more closely to the old faith and the old priesthood. Cult of the Omnissiah Since pledging allegiance to Mars, each stronghold has erected a temple to the Omnissiah and the nobility of Doritan have mostly converted to the Machine Cult. However, the majority of the peasants still adhere to the old faith of their one god see Kraus as the prophet of this god rather than being a servant of the Omnissiah. The Mechanicum tolerate such beliefs because they believe that such a religion will slowly but surely become subsumed by the Cult of the Omnissiah. However, there is animosity between the priesthood of this old faith and that of the Machine Cult, the former seeing the veneration for machines and the desecration of the human form as heretical whilst the latter see the priesthood as backward savages who believe in a faith that insults the Omnissiah and the Machine Spirit. This is mostly a feud of debates and theological argument though, for it is a joust of words and wit amongst the two priesthoods. The majority of the population are too busy working in the mines, manufactories, or refineries to worry about which specifics they follow in their religion. They are simply happy to be free of the greenskins and see their lives be made marginally easier with the arrival of the red and black clad priests of this "Mars" or "Stygies". Kissar-Tithe The Kissar-Tithe is the special tithe that Erridan Kraus levies upon Doritan apart from the contributions the planet makes to the Astra Militarum and Forge World of Stygies VIII. Doritan is duty bound to raise a War Cohort of Skitarii every 10 years and ship them to Explorator Fleet XV.7743.II to serve in their master's Quest for Knowledge. Rather than a draft or selecting those men destined for the Imperial Guard, the Tech-Priests of Doritan will go about the Cavern-Hives and collecting three thousands candidates of the under-hives and prisons to be pressed into service. They look for hive-gangers, criminals, and other low-life scum and bring them back to the emerging forges of Doritan for transformation. The reason for this is that these men are often easy to mold into warriors and will often be weak willed and lack solid moral or religious beliefs, perfect candidates for psychic indoctrination. These Tech-Priests that collect these men are known as "Tally-Men" by the Doritanians and are feared by many, for they were violent, brutal, and uncaring. Those that resist are beaten or killed while those that cooperate are never seen again by their friends, family, or fellow criminals. These Tech-Priests are, in fact, supported by the Doritan mountaineers, for the Khurgan and nobility understand that they must pay this tithe to their lord should they wish to avoid his wrath. All resources that are deemed necessary for the collection of this tithe are granted to the Tech-Priests, anything from squads to entire maniples can be requisitioned by these tech-adepts to venture into the under-hives and collect the necessary men for their master. This would be assumed to be a point of major contention between the people of Doritan and Kraus but, in fact, it is seen as a great boon by the upper and middle societies of Doritan because this tithe is removing the major criminal populations of their hives. All things considered, to kidnap and force these scum into service to their liege-lord was a small price to pay for the freedom Kraus provided the planet from Greenskin infestation. Three thousand men will undergo the transformation process every ten years, their limbs and organs replaced with synthetic muscle fibers and bionic replacements while their minds forever changed by psychic indoctrination. Over the course of years, these men will undergo this transformative process, training to use their new bodies and honing their combat skills on the death world they call home. Of note is the fact that many Skitarii Rangers are often raised alongside the Hypaspists of the War Cohort due to the Light Infantry traditions that persist upon the planet's population. These War Cohorts are considered sub-par compared to standard Skitarii of Forge Worlds due to the planet's lack in means to produce the various special weapons, Skitarii war-plate variants, and vehicles that support standard War Cohorts of Skitarii. These formations will often be primarily infantry with Astra Militarum war machines and heavy weapons for support rather than the Mechanicum's unique weapons and machines of war. They also utilize the same las-gun as the Doritan Mountaineers, making use of the Lucius Pattern which is produced upon Doritan. They also utilize the same special and heavy weapons that their former kin wield in the Imperial Guard. Yet, they are slightly superior to standard regiments of Guardsmen due to their enhanced bodies and honed skills, making them a welcome addition to Kraus' explorator fleet. Doritan Mountaineers The Regiments raised upon Doritan are collectively known as the Doritan Mountaineers. Though their name implies their regiments are solely specialized for Mountainous warfare, the regiments raised upon Doritan are not so. The Doritan Mountaineers are organized according to the needs of the Departmento Munitorum and all manner of regiments have been raised to fight for the Imperium, however, the majority are infantry and light infantry regiments. This is due to the experience of the natives of Doritan who have a natural preference for infantry warfare due to being unable to use vehicular support throughout the numerous mountain ranges od Doritan. Being based on a planet pledged to the Empire of Mars and host to an advanced growing industrial base, the Doritan Mountaineers have a wide selection of equipment and technology to choose from. They are armed with advanced las-rifles designed by Kraus himself and are specialized for medium to long range infantry engagements. They also have numerous unique war machines that support the infantry elements raised upon the planet. These troopers are also host to extensive bionic enhancement similar to the baseline Skitarii. Veterans of war against Greenskins, the Doritan Mountaineers are renowned as highly effectively Ork hunters. The many years of warfare upon their home planet against the xenos developed a martial tradition that specialized in fighting the Greenskin menace. Yet, this specialization against the xenos has coincided with the utter hatred for the greenskin filth and many commanders will volunteer their troops to fight at the vanguard against such foes, often taking extensive casualties but also making the xenos pay even more dearly in battle. Production Due to the planet's ties to the Mechanicum, Doritan has become host to numerous manufactories and a handful of small preliminary forges. Not needing to import ceramite or plasteel due to it's own mineral resources, Doritan is capable of self-sufficiently producing numerous supplies and consumer goods for its own population. However, the planet is also increasingly churning out light vehicles such as Chimera based vehicles and Sentinels, some of which the planet's Imperial Guard and PDF forces utilize but the majority of which are shipped off to the Departmento Munitorum. Unique Variants * Doritan Drake '''- The Doritan Drake is a close air support gunship that relies on its advanced sensors, optics, thick armor plating, and counter-measures to provide much needed ground support to beleaguered ground forces. The Drake's primary weapons are a 132 mm howitzer, based off of the Earthshaker cannon, simply named the Earthshaker Howitzer alongside a rotary autocannon. These weapons are mounted port-side of the non-pressurized cabin and fired accurately at enemy ground positions whilst the Drake performs a pylon turn. A slow, low flying, and large aircraft, the Drake was made to be a flying fortress armored in thick plasteel plating and is host to two twin-linked heavy bolter front-turrets and a rear hull-mounted heavy bolter to fend off against lighter enemy aircraft. The Earthshaker Howitzer and rotary autocannon are meant to be utilized as ground support weapons to pin enemies, bombard fortifications, cripple vehicles, and slaughter enemy hordes. Considering the vast quantity of enemies the Imperium faces which often out number humanity's defenders, the Drake was seen to be a pragmatic variation of the Marauder to provide greater frontline support via the Aeronautica Imperialis. However, the Marauder basis for this aircraft has been put in question, for the gunship utilizes 6 tiltrotor engine pods and though it is slower than a marauder, the Drake has more strategic capabilities. It is rumored Erridan Kraus discovered an STC fragment and rather than share the knowledge with those on Stygies VIII, he has kept the treasure for himself and his personal "fiefdom" of Doritan. Though formidable, the Drake is most often deployed when the Imperium has total air-superiority. Despite it's heavy armor plating and heavy bolter point defense, the Drake is most often provided a fighter escort when engaging in operations wherein the enemy maintain air-capable assets or else the Drake will be swarmed and shot down with ease against lighter and more maneuverable aircraft. The Drake allows for a rapid deployment of close air support where greater firepower is needed to either hold off or break an enemy when ground elements are lacking in sufficient heavy artillery themselves. * '''Doritan Griffon - The Doritan Griffon is a minor variation of the standard Griffon in that the Heavy Mortar is replaced with a Thudd Gun. This variation is due to the Doritan Mountaineers being a primarily skirmisher and light infantry force and therefore are vulnerable to being swarmed by hordes of enemies or more elite enemy infantry. The Doritan Griffon allows for the light infantry of the Doritan Imperial Guard regiments to bring the point defense suppression of a Thudd Gun to bear both on offense and defense. Most often, these machines will house a hull-mounted Heavy Bolter, a pintle-mounted Storm Bolter, and smoke launchers. Crews are also given the option to utilize Camouflage Netting and Dozers blades, most of which choose to add these to their vehicles for practicality due to their most common deployment being areas with rough terrain. This is not, however, meant to be a frontline vehicle, the lack of a main-battle cannon of standard Chimeras or tanks leaves the Doritan Griffon heavily outgunned if it should come face to face with even a light tank. The Thudd Gun also cannot fire within close proximity of itself due to it's nature as a mortar, making it useless in short ranged firefights. The Doritan Griffon is a supporting vehicle, meant to lay down suppressing fire for the rest of the regiment to either move forward and harry the enemy or to fall back with mobile mortar support. It's nature as a mounted mortar means that the vehicle can fire while even on the move, though, for the mortars to have any resemblance of accuracy the Doritan Griffon would need to be moving at a very slow pace. * Doritan Sentinel - Due to the planet's mountainous terrain and the Imperial Guard raised upon Doritan being specialized mountaineers, the Tech-Priests upon Doritan have developed a proto-type variant of the Mars Sentinel which utilizes a large grappling hook and clasping feet allowing the proto-type to scale steep cliffs and other mountainous terrain with relative ease. However, to allow the Sentinels to scale the walls of mountains and cliffs, the Tech-Priests had to sacrifice significant armor plating, leaving the pilots entirely exposed atop their mounts save for the command console which covers up to their bellies. This leaves them extremely vulnerable to even small arms fire, not to mention heavier weapons such as autocannons, bolters, and lascannons. Yet, this was deemed an acceptable sacrifice, for the surprise that having a squad or multiple squads of Sentinels flank an enemy from a position they thought impassable is enough to keep the pilots relatively out of harms way due to the enemy likely being completely unprepared for such an assault. The speed and maneuverability that the lighter variation also provides allows the pilots to move far swifter than most other sentinels, so should an enemy prove tougher than expected, the Sentinels can simply pull-back and strike at the enemy from a new direction or with more supporting elements. Ties to Yaelea IV & Artemisia Armored After supplying their own Mechanized Regiments and paying their production tithes to the Departmento Munitiorium, the mechanized assets produced upon Doritan are offered to the nobility of the Yaelea System and the Artemisia Armored Regiment at a wholesale price. This is in contrast to the much steeper price that other Imperial branches must pay to acquire the Chimera Chassis and Sentinels manufactured upon the planet due to the relatively "low" production capabilities of the planet and the high demand for such equipment in the sector. This is due to the agreement between the government of Doritan and the nobles of the Yaelea System. Notable Doritanians Category:Eressa Sector Category:Worlds Category:Imperium